Repeated Sounding

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TOBIAS FAAR

REPEATED SOUNDING

Lithuania, 2012


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction

CHAPTER1. The theory of Repeated sounding. 5

CHAPTER 2. Structuring the sound. 7

CHAPTER 3. The analysis of recorded material. 10

Explanations of graphics for analysis. 11

CHAPTER 4. Glossary with graphics, spectrums. 14

Last, but not at least 30

SUMMARY


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Introduction

Music listening and creation are two different spheres. Each of those one requires special techniques or methods. In music

listening most of the time each listener uses the methods of listening. Each work can be listened in more then 10 different types.

The method of listening depends from what we want to hear and what we want to know from the sound.

In music / sound creation each of the author is making a little research of ways how to put differ sounds into one work.

Some of the authors are calculating the time between each of the sound sample he want to use, another one is using the easiestway by putting all samples in software and playing them one by one or randomly.

In this work Ill try to discuss the little theory of my own, which I invent in a few months. The theory sound like the same types

as mentioned earlier, but the unique of this theory is that the sound, which I use, is not the sound sample. The only sound samples

in my recorded works are the field recordings of rain, city noise and movie tape. Software synthesizers on demand, through the

recording process, modulate the other sounds.

In the first chapter Ill discuss the main idea of the theory with detailed explanation how it can help in the creation of soundworks, in the second chapter Ill introduce the analysis of my recorded tracks with this method of creation. For the clear

understanding of what I done, Ill put also the graphics of each of the recorded tracks.


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CHAPTER 1. The theory of Repeated sounding.

Firstly when we say the phrase repeated sound we all start imagine

the looped fragment from the different track we are using. This can be field recording, dance music loop or finally the one note

from synthesizer. At this case, repeated sounding is a little bit differs. The sound that we take or create in the piece of work is not

looped, but it sounds again and again. That means the sound that we use dont have any time restriction. We can volume it up

and it will be playing all day, all night, etc. The important thing of this is that we should to decide when we must to kill volume

down and vice versa. Before the recording of the whole piece we should also decide the full length of the whole piece. It looks

like the same as the Schillinger system, but at this case there is no need to calculate the time of each of the composition

element. We only calculate the total length of composition. For instance we have chosen the five different sounds that were

going to use in the piece, so regarding our intuition we must to think about the total time length and finally we must to calculate it.

If we play the first sound approx. the two minutes the other sound we can play 3 minutes, the other sounds for a minute. In

general we calculated that the whole piece time would be 8 minutes. Of course in the calculated time we can arrange the

sound parts how we wish, we can play the first piece of sound for a one-minute, second sound for one minute and the rest of the

sounds for two minutes. At this case the order of sounds doesnt change the full length of composition.


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The most important case in this theory is the perception of elements in each sound we use. It means, that we should think

rationally about the structure of each sound. If well play just only one sound on the same volume, on the same level of transpose,

it would sound a bit boring. For this reason repeated sounding helps to identify sound structures by calculating it. For the better

calculation of the structures I always use the method of reduce listening. Most of the cases reduced listening help to identify the

sound parameters used in the track. It identifies the rhythm, pitch, and volume, transpose, filter values. Those parameters give to

us the perception how the sound is recorded, how its created, and finally how it can be changed.

On the process of recording the new sound piece, we should time and time again listen to the same voice and analyse its

frequency rates of each structure. This is repeated sounding too. The same sound on the same frequency rate, firstly transforms

our ears, for that reason we start to hear the same sound differently, secondly, the transformed sound is the parameter as the

value for itself. After the transformation of the heard sound, when we are at the beginning of recording process, were start to

change the registries of high / mid / low. Here starts the playing with sound. Each of chosen synthesizer voice is modulated with

different effects by changing its transposes, pitches. During the recording we once again change its value for better sounding of

the full composition.

Generally, the analysis of the prepared effects and sounds helps us to understand how we want to use each of the effect,

and how we interact literally with the parameters of the sound and efx. If well attentively read the information that we receive

from the sound well easier understand the compositional structures of our preferred recording.


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CHAPTER 2. Structuring the sound.

Most of the musicians who have the academically studied the composition of music, analyse music from its given

notation. A little bit harder situation is with experimental electronic sound. I love to say, that the simple sound from the motor of

vehicle doesnt have the notation. It is just only the sound, but if we want to use this recorded noise of vehicle in our creation?

What should we do if we want to identify the various transposes and pitches of it?

The answers to the given questions will be simple. If we dont have the academic practice of notation, we can choose themusic / sound structuring method. This method is usually based by the a priori perception of the material that we hear. The thing

is, when we listen to the music or sound we hear the mix of different material. Now, when we take the track to listen we try to

divide it into the small parts. Generally - its dividing the track to individual samples. For example when we listen to the classics, we

always are dividing the classical work into the parts of instruments. We usually try to remember where starts the part of piano or the

part of cello and etc.

The idea of structuring the sound in experimental sound looks the same; only the difference here is that, usually in the

experimental sound we hear the same sound. For example lets take Eliane Radigue works. If first time well listen it just for fun, we

hear the same sound which lasts for one hour or more. When we start to listen to it more attentively, we hear more sounds. That

more sounds Im calling the structures. If I want to understand the work I should to divide it into the structures. The first structure or


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better the main structure of the work is the long lasting sound. That means, the sound, which is playing all time in the track as

background. If we want clearly to understand the thought of work, we should listen to the first structure one or more times. The first

structure as background is the main part of composition that explains why the track is short or long, what sounds will be leading in

front of the background, when it will be in the back. After the clear understand of background sound we start to find the other

structures. Sometimes when the sound resonate our ears we hear the same sound differently, for that reason looks like track have

more structures then we hear.

The structuring in the experimental sound creation is the same sound dividing to the parts, but here it differs only that, we

are dividing the sounds, which we know very well. Knowing the sounds very well let to us create the structures how we want or how

we imagine the work. Of course when author structuring the work he should think philosophically in that side, what he want to say

for the listener or finally what message he is going to send to the audience.

Other thing of structuring the sound is the creation of virtual folders from effects. That means, through the creation process

well divide nude sound to the virtual folder of non-effected sound to folder called effected sound. Those two folders manipulate

each other in the structures of sound. Once a time sound comes from non-effected folder, next time sound comes from effected

folder. It mixes together and looks like the one structure of sound, but actually it is two different structures. The effect structure and

the sound structure. Commonly I can state that we always use the sound, which plays on the same levels and transpose. Only the

used effect changes the sound structure, because the used effect creates the matter for sound interaction with efx.


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CHAPTER 3. The analysis of recorded material.

On the last chapter Ill try to explain the Repeated sounding method more detailed. As were mentioned in the last two

chapters, this method requires the methods of structuring the sound and analysis of elements used or been used in the sound. In

each graphic figure of the recorded material (the recorded material is as a part of explanation attached with this document), are

shown the main sounds used in each of five compositions, also each of the used efx is graphically drawn on the main sound

wave. After the composition graphics Ill decided to put the track spectrum of frequency analysis. That lets us more clearly

understand and analyse the sound that were processing on the recording. Each of frequency rate gives the parameters how we

must reduce the volume levels of one or another sound.

In nowadays the software of music producing gives the opportunities to use those softwares in wide spectrum. We can see

the various ranges and values of the effects, pitch, transpose and volume. I took that opportunity and analysed my recorded

material detailed as I wished and how I was imagine my sound graphically. Personally for me, it become the further step to music

perception and improves of my skills in experimental sound creation.

For better understanding of each work system and parameters I divided them to individual sub-chapters. That will make to

see every work in the concrete details.


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Explanations of graphics for analysis.

First work in the attached recordings is called Static piece for movie tape crackles. This track is called like this for very

simple reason, because before the deciding what should be and what should contain each of the work, I looked for many of the

field-recordings made by myself, and finally thought that the calm noise given from the movie tape lets to dive into the sound

very deeply and in some cases this sound lets to feel the relaxation of the sound we hear.

Movie tape crackles for me looked very static sound; sometimes it looks like the electric impulses from generators. That

influences to create static experimental sound, where I choose other static and non-change sounds in all composition. For this I

had chosen simple sound from the sine oscillator. Sine oscillator sound usually has the same pitch and transpose, no matter how

you change the pitch from 12.0 or from -12.0. It flows the same. Difference is only that sound of changed pitch. But what I

mean nothing changes the speed of sound is the same.

Changing the speeds of each sine oscillators were made by the same oscillator sound connection to the first, second and

vice versa. When the same sound of sine was connected with the same sine, the main sound had a small vibrato.

On the figures from 4.1. to 4.5., graphically are shown the each of the sine oscillator volume level and the value of used

effect. For shown parameters I used my recorded set automation to detect at what value at the moment were the sounds, when


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it was played in the recording. The gain from -69.0 dB shows the first point where the sound starts; the value of 1.0 dB shows the

highest volume level of track playing. Analogically the values of -1.0 dB or -44.0 dBs show the cutting of sound level.

The percentage in the graphics shows the usage of parameter like Dry/Wet of Grain delay effect, Flanger effect, and

Phaser effect. The highest percentage like 99% means the full Dry/Wet parameter using on the sound structure, analogically

the lowest percentage like 0.0% shows the full cut-off of the used efx.

In the figures like 4.4.1, 4.4.2. and 4.5.2. Are shown the frequency amounts of Erosion effect, Grain delay pitch amount

and Phaser effect frequency amount. Those amounts in the shown graphics are marked in values of Hz or kHz.

The signs like C, 1L or 37R explain the used sound volume panning from the neutral position of speakers to left speakers

and right speakers. The number before the letters shows the value of how much was turned the sound frequency to right of left.

Sound panning parameters are drawn in figures 4.4 and 4.5.

The values without any sign like 0.18 or 24.8 shows the used synthesizer, at this case in all recorded works are used the sine

oscillators. The numbers without any values are the amounts of volume, pitch, transpose. In each graphic line that shows the

values are written names of the elements. For instance Sine 1 (Volume) means that it is the sine oscillator, and that line shows

that sound level of volume.

Chosen Erosion effect makes sound softly distorted, in some cases it can re-pitch the sound with its sine function.


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This system of showing the repeated sounding helps to visualize the created sound in all values what we use before and

after the recording. Firstly when we record the full piece of our work, by studying the parameters we can realise at what value was

used one or another effect. After the studying of parameters through the listening process we can arrange the changes for each

of effect and process the new and technically repaired work with personally calculated values.


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CHAPTER 4. Glossary with graphics, spectrums.

Figure 4.1. The graphic of audio track Static piece for movie tape crackles. Track created from 2 sine oscillator banks, the recording

of movie tape. In audio work for processing the sound were used Grain delay, Flanger effects.


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Figure 4.2. The graphic of audio work Grained piece for movie tape crackles. Audio work created from 4 sine oscillator banks, the recording

of movie tape. Used effect FabFilter Timeles2 delay.


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Figure 4.3. The graphic of audio track Piece for rain & concrete jungle field recordings. Audio work created from 5 sine oscillator banks (the

analysis graphic of oscillator named Sine D given in figure 4.3.1. and the oscillator named Sine E analysis graphic given in figure 4.3.2.) In

audio work also were used two field recordings hard rain recording and concrete jungle recording. Effects in work: 3x Grain delays.


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Figure 4.3.1. Sine D oscillator bank volume and amount of Grain delay effect.


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Figure 4.3.2. Sine E oscillator bank volume and amounts of 2x Grain delay effects.


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Figure 4.4. The graphic of audio track Equalized piece for metal box recording. In audio work used 4 oscillator banks with metal box

recording. In the full piece used 3x Grain delay and one Erosion effects. (The analysis sheets of metal box recording and oscillator bank

called SN4 given in figures 4.4.1. and 4.4.2.).


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Figure 4.4.1. SN4 oscillator bank volume, Grain delay amount, Erosion frequency amount and effect amount.


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Figure 4.4.2 Metal box recording volume and amounts Grain delay frequency, pitch, and Dry/Wet.


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Figure 4.5.1. Modul3 oscillator bank volume and amount of 2x Grain delay effects.


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Figure 4.5.2. Modul4 oscillator bank volume levels and amounts of: Phaser frequency; Phaser feedback, Erosion frequency; Erosion

width; Grain delay Dry/Wet.


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Spectrum of frequency analysis for audio work Grained piece for movie tape crackles.


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Spectrum of frequency analysis for audio work Equalized piece for metal box recording.


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Spectrum of frequency analysis for audio work Slow distorted piece for vinyl plate crackles.


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Last, but not at least

After the long researches of experimental sound theories and types of those theories, we can individually come to

conclusions, that each sound is the philosophy of creation that sound. Philosophy for that reason, sound, which is created or

performed by us, requires lots of thinking, lots of cultivating it. Before the creation process we are intuitively searching the

interesting ways to show our thoughts, to express our emotions. Sound or music is emotion, which comes from author. Author

analysis the fields of various sounds, the libraries of various techniques of music performing, and at the end of analysis he gives to

the audience the final result of himself. That is modulated, recorded, analysed sound, which kisses our ears by day and by night.

The theories made from creator become the compress document in 5 or 13 minutes. We usually dont care how it was

made, what was the thinking at the first point of creation. If one day well start to explore more attentively the sound, well found in

it more then voice. Well found in it sound structures, that looks like small Lego cube.

We hear the sound, so why we dont use the opportunities to take the information from it?


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SUMMARY

The sound structuring, the repeated sounding are the main topics of the written work. In every paragraph of the chapter are

described the personal position and opinion in the understanding of experimental sound creation and using the personal sound

performing and recording theory which is influenced by ideas from sound artists, composers, and finally the philosophy. All theory

is based by a priori experiences from living with the sound. The work is written in understandable language for everyone, without

any special terms, for that reason this work will be very simple readable for each group of people, starting from people who have

academic experience, finalising with people who are only the listeners of experimental sound.

Documents

Repeated Sounding